Improvement in cloth-stretching machines



lutrd .Stabat @anni @attira SOLOMON H. AUSTIN, OF PROVIDENCE, ASSIGNOP. TO WANTON J. AUSTIN,

OF SMITHFIELD,

RHODE ISLAND.

Letters Patent N 101,811, dated A11/ril 12, 187Q.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SOLOMON H. AUSTIN, of the city and-county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Clothstretching Machine.

My invention relates tor that class of machines which operates widthwise upon' the cloth' as it passes over a cylinder provided with live lags arranged in sexies, and which are moved consecutively from the middle'toward the ends by the revolution of the cy l inder.

My invention consists in a certain new and novel arrangement ofthe stanchions upon which the cylinder is mounted; in the arrangement and manner of operating the live lags; in the form of the slashes; the construction and arrangement of the scrimp-har; the cylinder-heads; and also in the operative mechanism; and I do hereby declare Vthat the following spec-ication taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, isa true, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the drawings.'

Figure 1 represents, in perspective, one of my machines.

. A, in each-instance, represents the stanchionsupon which the machine is mounted. They are pivoted' at their lower ends into suitable sockets attached to the floor or platform. In practice these stretchingmachines are generally` placed in front of and as near to the calenderingor mangling-machines as possible, in order to deliver the cloth direct from the surface ofthe stretching-cylinder to the hot rolls of the calender. Heretofore similar machines have been placed in fixed bearings, and when a new --end ofcloth was started the operator would of necessity consume much of his own time, as well `as that of the various machines, in 'endeavoring to pass the-end betweeu the stretcher and thecalender, and to properly en: gage it between the' rolls of the latter. ABy myim'- provement the whole machine can' be swung backward from the calender on the pivoted stanohions, admitting of ample room in whichto operate.

B represents the axle, resting at each end in sockets provided therefor in the stanohions A, to which it is secured. v

C represents a guide-brace, also attached tothe floor or platform. l'hifs` brace consists of an upright with a slotted arm extending toward the front and at right angles. Within the slots the stanchions A are tree to swing backward or forward, limited by the ends of the slots. v

D represents one of the cylinder-heads, both of which are constructed with a recessed or shouldered periphery for the accomplishment of a special' purpose, hereafter described. lhese heads are fitted so as to revolve freely upon the axle B.

E, in each case, represents slotted dead-lags, extending longitudinally between the cylinder-heads D, their ends abutting against the outer edges of the recesses, thus effectually preventing any possible longitudinal movement.

F, in each instance, represents the outer live lags. They are attached to the dcadlags- I) by means of studs and friction-pulleys or rollers, the studs passing through slots in the dead lags.

G, inveach instance, represents the rightand left intermediate live lags.

H, in each case, represents the right and left cen- Ater live lags.

ways upon which the live lags are moved.

I is the scrimp-bar, of novel construction and arrangement, and embraces two separate novel and useful features,"constituting parts of my invention, which'are set forth as follows:

First, in its form it is round but immovable in its bearings, except when it is desirable to present a new portion of its surface for use.

Secondly, in having, at brief intervals, longitudinal grooves extending'from end to end of the bar.

Heretofore scrimp-bars have not been made round, but in the form,it` viewed in section, of the segment of a circle. The slashes on such as have heretofore been used have been generally cnt upon an angle, extending outward from the center.y No longitudinal grooves were cnt therein.

By having the scrimp-bar round, its entire surface can be utilized, as it'may be turned, when requisite from time to time, until its slashes require sharpening or rccutting. A round bar, having three times the wearing-surface of a segment-bar, can be out in about the same time as would be requisite for cutting the segment. A

I am aware that rollers have heretofore been used for a similar purpose, in which right and left-hand screw-threads have been cut or raised, and so arranged that the rollers would revolve in acontrary direction to the movement of the cloth. By the 1ongitudinal grooves the draft of each slash upon the fabric is relieved from being continuous, and a new hold thereon is taken, more eifectually removing folds and wrinkles without undue strain upon the fabric than could possibly be accomplished without them.

K, in each case, represents a swinging arm embracing, at one end, the axle B, and at the other securely holding the Scrimp-bar I.- By this arrangement the scrimp-bar may be raised or lowered.

L, in each case, represents semicircular guides for securing the arms in any desired positiori.

By this adjustability of the scrimp-bar the longitudinal strain or tension upon the cloth may be easily regulated, for, as the bar is raised or lowered, so is the cloth brought into a lesser or greater degree of contact with the stretching-cylinder.

Figure 2 represents one of my machines in longitudinal vertical section, on a line with the center of the axle.

Parts already shown in fig. l are indicated bythe same letters of reference.

M, in each case, represents a circular grooved cam, secured to the axle B, arranged to operate the right and left outer live lags F. The draft of the .cams is such that the lags shall be gradually moved toward the end of the cylinder during two-thirds of its revolution, and backward to their original position during the remaining one-thirdof the movement.

N, in each. case, represents a similar cam to that last described, arranged to operate the right and left intermediate live lags G. The draft in these cams is such as will produce a rest during one-sixth, an

outward movement during three-sixths, and a backward movement during two-sixths of each and every revolution of the cylinder.

O, in each case, represents the cams which operate the right and left center live lags H. The draft of these cams produces a iull rest during one-third, au outward movement during one-third, and a backward movement during ,one-third of each and every revolution of the cylinder.

P, in each case, represents friction-rollers fitted to travel freely in the grooves ot' the operating-cams.

Each roller is mounted upon a stud which is secured to the live lags, passing through the slots in the dead lags, already described. In the center of each vroller or pulley is a cavity or chamber for receiving any suitable fibrous absorbent charged with lubricating matter.

Q, in each case, represents dowels 'fitted into the abutting ends of the live lags, affording security against their lateral movement. 1t will be observed that the dowels are secured to the inner ends of the lags F-and G, and play in suitable holes in the outer ends of the lags G and H. y

Figure 3 represents, in cross vertical section, one of my machines.v

Figure 4 represents, in circumferential plan, the cams M, N, and O. Although not absolutely correct, they are suiiiciently so for the practical purposes of illustration.

The operation of my machine is as follows:

The cloth to he stretched or widened is conducted beneath the scrimp-bar upward between it and the stretching-cylinder over that to the calender-ing or other rolls with which it may be used. p

- The cloth being drawn inward by the rolls, and the desired degree of tension or pressure upon the stretching-cylinder having been obtained by means of raising or lowering the scrimp-bar, and securing it in position by the guides L, the machine will proceed to operate.

During two-thirds of the revolution of the cylininder, it being moved by the passing cloth', the outer live lags F perform a stretching service, acting upon the selvages and the outer portion of the fabric.

During one-half of their entire longitudinal or stretching movement, (or one-sixth of a revolutiom) they alone operate upon the cloth, after which the lags G join inwith them,- and they both operate together for one-sixth of a revolntion,at which time the lags H join in and all proceed together, the. remaining two-sixths of the revolution or the balance of the longitudinal distance. l

During this stretching movement the lags F travei longitudinally slightly faster than the lags G, which in turn travel slightly faster than the lags H, the pitch ofthe several cams being relatively inthe .same proportion, one to the other, as are the respective distances traveled, while. the speed of the respective lags during their llongitudinal movement varies in similar proportions.

The extent of the widening or stretchingeiect may be varied in different machines accordingto the class of goods to'be worked. I deem it unnecessary, therefore, to specifically state the distance each of the 'sets of lags should be made. to travel, leaving that matter for persons skilled in the art to in each case determine.

tofore been constructed in which the outer live lags, being linked to the intermediate, and they, in turn, to the center live lags, are all operated by a single cam on the axle near the heads of the cylinder.

In such machines the outerf lags commence the stretching-operation, and continue it until the respective lengths of the connecting-links have been traveled, when they join the movement, to be followed in like manner by the center lags, finally bringing not only the whole strain of the center lags upon the middle ofthe cloth, but the entire strain of all the other lags as they continue in the movement together.

As has already been described, the strainv is equalized in my machine, andis divided between the abutting ends of all the live lags.

structed, the slashesin the live lags have been cut, most generally, squareY across from edge to edge. With such the strain is always parallel with the warp, 'and-the Vclot-l1 is more or less liable to be ruptured.

It will be observed that in mylive lags the slashes are cut at au angle, so that their' drait'will be, in a measure, crosswise of the warp. Also, that a groove is cut longitudinally in the middle of the face of each lag, and that the slashes radiate from it on lines in clining-toward their rear or inner ends.

' By this novel and peculiar arrangement of the slashes there exists little or no liability to over'- ,strain or impoverish the fabric. The strain passes from slash to slash, while the groove aiordsa momentary relief to the strain, permitting the opposite slashes to take up a new hold upon the fabric as it proceeds.

`Having thusl described my invention,

I claim as new and desire yto secure by Letters Patent 1. In combination with a cloth-stretching roller, the stanchons A, pivoted substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the several series of live lags with the operating cams, when s'o arranged that each series of live lags shall perform a stretching service in the relative order and manner substantially as shown and described.-

3. In combination with angular slashes, the longitudinal grooves in the middle of the faces of the live lags, substantially as shown and described.

in the faces of the live lags, angular slashes, radiating toward the inner ends and outer edges of the said lags, substantially as shown and described.

5. vThe combination of the recessed heads D with theslotted dead lags E, fitted with ends abutting shown and described.

6. The improvement in scrimp-bars, which consists'in constructing them in the form ot' a roller, ad-

justable to xed positions in, its bearings, by means I am aware that stretching-machines have here- In cylinder stretching-machines as heretofore con- 4. In combination with the longitudinal groovesv against the shoulders of the recesses, .substantially as of which ner facesmay from time to time be pre'- arms K, arranged so as to admit of t-lie fixed adjustsented for use, substantially as described, for the purment of the scrimp-bar relatively to the periphercal pose specified. -1 surface of the cylinder with which it may be used, sub- 7. The cylindrical scrimp-bar I, provided with spistantially as shown and described. rally-cut slashes, in combination with the longitudinal SOLOMON, H. AUSTIN.

grooves, substantially as shown and described.

8. In combination with the cylindrical scrmp-bar'I, Witnesses: adjustable to xed positions in its bearings, provided CHARLES SELDEN, with spiral1ycut slashes and longitudinal grooves, the JOHN C, PURKIS. 

